1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus that sequentially outputs images specified with image specifying information to a display apparatus.
2. Description of the Related Art
An image photographed with a digital camera is recorded on recording media within the digital camera as digital data. The recording media is inserted into a display apparatus such as a projector, whereby photographed images may be displayed such that friends and family can view and enjoy the displayed images (See Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-165107). Operations such as switching the display image or rotating the display image are performed with a remote controller of the display apparatus.
On the other hand, regardless of manufacturer, a direct printing function may exist wherein the digital camera and printer are directly connected, and printing can be performed by operating the digital camera. As a direct printing function, a standard called PictBridge is commonly used, whereby the digital camera and printer can realize direct printing function by mounting this standard. Recently, a majority of digital cameras have the function corresponding to the PictBridge standard.
With the direct printing function, the image to be printed is displayed on a display unit of the digital camera, and a printing start button or the like is operated, whereby printing of a desired image with the printer currently communicating can be performed.
On the other hand, a user of a digital camera can select a desired image for printing beforehand, and store the selected information as printing reservation information in the memory (see Japanese Patent No. 3,728,302). A standard called DPOF (Digital Print Order Format) is known wherein such printing reservation information is recorded, and many digital cameras as of recent may include a function corresponding to this standard.
At a presentation or photography exhibit or the like, a video signal can be outputted from a personal computer or video device to a display apparatus such as a projector, thereby displaying the image. Let us consider a case wherein image data is to be outputted from the digital camera to a projector or display. A case is assumed wherein images to be publicly displayed and images not intended for public display are mixed within the digital camera. Even in such a case, the images displayed on the display apparatus of the digital camera and on the projector are matched, whereby images not desired to be publicly displayed can be displayed with the display apparatus such as the projector during operation of image switching and so forth.
Accordingly, an arrangement utilizing the direct print function which a majority of models of digital cameras have, to display the desired images only with the display apparatus may be preferred. That is to say, a direct print function is provided on the information processing apparatus that controls the images output to the display apparatus, whereby the images desired to be displayed on the display apparatus can be selected by the printing operation from the image supply apparatus of the digital camera or the like.
However, problems can occur in the case of using direct print function with a connection between the digital camera and the information processing apparatus controlling the image to be outputted to the display apparatus. One problem is the handling of number of copies information which is useful information at time of printing. With direct printing with the digital camera and printer, multiple copy printing of the same image can easily print many images at one time, so number of copies information has been effective. However, if number of copies information is used in the case of a connection between the digital camera and display apparatus such as projector, the same image is displayed numerous times, which may be undesired.
Also, switching the display image is inconvenient. For example, in the case that printing 5 copies is specified, if the same image is repeatedly displayed 5 times according to the number of copies information, the waiting time for displaying the image may increase. Also, in the case that image switching processing is a manual process, the image switching operation has to be operated 5 times in order to display the following image, which may be time consuming.